Final Rule Postpones ICD-10 Implementation Until 2014

In a rule issued today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made final a 1-year proposed delay—from October 1, 2013, to October 1, 2014—in the compliance date for use of ICD-10 codes.

The rule adopting ICD-10 as a standard was published in January 2009 and set a compliance date of October 1, 2013—a delay of 2 years from the compliance date initially specified in the 2008 proposed rule. In February, HHS announced it would postpone the 2013 deadline in an effort to address the provider community's concerns about administrative burdens. In April, HHS proposed the transition be delayed until October 2014.

Today's final rule also establishes the standard for a national unique health plan identifier and a data element that will serve as an "other entity" identifier. This is an identifier for entities that are not health plans, health care providers, or individuals, but that need to be identified in standard transactions. The rule also specifies the circumstances under which an organization-covered health care provider, such as a hospital, must require certain noncovered individual health care providers who are prescribers to obtain and disclose a National Provider Identifier.

APTA's ICD-10 webpage has resources to help physical therapists understand the transition to the new code set.